The Perfect Wedding
by heatherlea75
Summary: Jackie asks something of Hyde he's not sure he can do, despite everything that's happened between them. Will he come through for her? Does Jackie even want him to?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**Warning: **Language

**Author's Note: **I haven't abandoned Imagine or TSOK or DTE. This plot bunny has been hopping around my head for a week and I have to get it out of my system! It will be a short one, four or five chapters. I hope you enjoy! Please let me know! As always, this has a happy ending. :)

**The Perfect Wedding **

_**Chapter 1 – Just Another One**_

The big day was only a month away, and because of it, Steven Hyde's life had finally become nearly unbearable. The happy couple couldn't talk about anything except the perfect wedding, and the others didn't bother to stop them. Donna, in fact, was acting damned giddy, though Hyde supposed part of that could be the pregnancy hormones. Still, the situation sucked.

Weddings sucked.

Life was absolute hell. If only he had the energy to do something about it.

"Okay. Everyone shut up. Fez and I have an announcement to make. We know you've been waiting for this, but we just wanted to make you all sweat."

And his ex, Jackie, was the shrill, loud voice of his hell. He shifted on his chair and continued to stare at the television, though Jackie had turned the sound down and stood partially in front of it. He wasn't going to look at her. Didn't want to look at her. Even the part of her he could see, bare legs beneath some girly skirt, was too much, so he closed his eyes.

_A beach in Florida, man. Girls in teeny bikinis. No, not ones made out of coconuts! _

Much better.

"Michael, Fez would like you to be his best man."

Hyde grimaced at Kelso's unmasculine squeal of delight and the hug between two alleged men that he couldn't see but sensed. Even sensing it made him want to puke.

"Thanks, Fez! Man, this is gonna be awesome! We're gonna have the best bachelor's party. I'll get the hottest strippers..."

"NO STRIPPERS!"

Hyde's eyes opened automatically. She hadn't just yelled or screamed. That had been a shriek, one more fitting a horror movie than wedding planning. He looked at her. Her cheeks were reddish, her eyes darted violently between Kelso and Fez, and his stomach plummeted to God knows where. Her glare found him, and he noticed one perfectly plucked eyebrow raise, as if to say "because of you."

As if he needed to be reminded.

He looked at the floor. Fascinating thing, the floor.

"No strippers," she repeated softly.

Kelso was likely pouting. "Fine," he said. "Ruin Fez's life. Oh wait, you're marrying him, so you're already gonna do that. BURN!"

The others laughed, and even Jackie gave a giggle. Hyde rolled his eyes. Yeah. So funny. Hilarious. The whole thing was freaking hilarious.

_Damn it, what is wrong with me? _

"Moving on," Fez said. "Eric, will you please be my other groomsman? We can call you the second best man, if you'd like."

Hyde looked up, and Forman was nodding. "Sure, buddy," he said. Hyde studied him. If possible, he was skinnier than ever, paler than ever. He looked tired, and Hyde couldn't really blame him. His responsibilities had increased a thousand percent in the past few months.

Hyde shook his head and closed his eyes again. Since when did he give a crap about Forman's stress level?

He opened his eyes and looked at Jackie. Just as beautiful as ever.

_Man, what the hell? _

"And Donna, you're gonna be my maid of honor." Jackie smiled widely, then narrowed her eyes. "Even though you're gonna be huge and even though you haven't always been such a great best friend..."

"Okay, okay, Jackie, water under the bridge. Isn't that what you said?" Donna rose slowly from the couch, getting an assist from the still apathetic looking Forman, and she moved around the table. She brushed past Hyde's legs and he had to shift them to the right.

He grumbled a few cusses to himself. This whole damn thing was so damn stupid.

The two girls hugged, and though Donna had been complaining half-heartedly, Hyde knew the job meant a lot to her after the strain in their friendship. He supposed this meant Jackie had completely forgiven and forgotten, though the latter was unlikely. Jackie never forgot.

She still remembered that it was his fault, of course.

So did he. After Red, after that night and what she'd said, he knew it. Hell, he'd always known it.

"That just leaves Hyde. I say you make him the ring bearer."

Hyde stared at the chuckling Kelso, but then looked at Fez. "Unless it involves beer, you can forget whatever you've got me down for."

Fez smiled awkwardly, shifting his weight between his feet. "Uh, well, the thing is that Jackie needs to talk to you. So everyone needs to leave." He began shooing the others towards the door, then pointed at Hyde. "Keep your hands to yourself, you son of a bitch."

Hyde shook his head. "Whatever, Fez." Like that was ever going to be a problem again. Right. It was long over, long dead. By now, completely decomposed and only good for worm food. For both of them. She'd obviously forgotten.

He would too. Another few weeks of beer and random chicks, maybe the dreams would stop. And the thoughts.

He looked at Jackie. She stood still, staring at the floor, her teeth pressing down on her lower lip. The others left, making various comments and chuckles, and Hyde leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms over his chest. As soon as the basement door closed, she looked up and gave him an unsteady smile. "So," he said. "What's this about?"

She sat down on his foot stool and looked straight at him. "I just...well, you know that my dad is still in pri...with the natives."

His lips twitched upwards. Jackie and her delusions. She was a little girl sometimes.

"Bob can't get time off work to come from Florida, so he won't be there."

The beginning pangs pangs of a headache stirred in both of his temples.

"And Mr. Forman can't be there, obviously." She looked down.

He swallowed. Yeah. Red. He wondered if she remembered that night. Her eyes met his, then she looked over at the couch. He did too.

He could see it, their shadows. Him, her, sitting there all night. He could hear it. The words that for the first time in a long time weren't biting or sarcastic, or aimed to kill. He could feel it. Her hair falling over his shoulder. Her hand cradling his. Her tiny body near his again after such a drought.

She looked back at him, and there was a sheen in her eyes. Yeah, she remembered it, too.

He cleared his throat. "So, what does this have to do with me?" He asked, though he knew. She'd just named all three of her father figures. Wedding, father figure meant only one thing.

Jackie met his eyes and leaned forward. "I was wondering if you'd give me away." And then a nervous smile crossed her lips. "I need someone to do it, and I just thought maybe you would. That way you don't have to stand up there in front of everyone for the whole ceremony." She laughed, and it was fake. "You can even sneak out and have a beer or something."

Something inside him, something mid-chest that had been hard since the night in Chicago vanished. Then in a rush it was back, though in a couple hundred thousand jagged pieces and falling into his gut. It left him struggling to think, to find words, to even catch a decent breath, and he thanked God he had his glasses on. He prayed to whomever God supposedly was that the rest of his face wasn't revealing the implosion.

_Jesus, what the hell is wrong with me? So she wants me to give her away. So what? _

"Uh, why don't you have Kelso do it?"

She lifted a shoulder. "I thought about it. I mean, how appropriate, right? My first love giving me away to my last..." She started to cough.

Right. Her last love. Her perfect love. He looked away, and his right hand clenched. Sure it was perfect. That's why Fez visited the strip club ever chance he could, kept a stash of porn in Hyde's room he collected whenever Jackie was out of town for her fancy new correspondent job. His eyes closed. Of course, he couldn't really judge. He'd married a stripper, hadn't he?

At least she was having trouble saying it. That was something. Sort of.

"I mean, it would have been perfect, but Fez really wanted Michael to be his best man. And plus, he looks great in a tux, and that might make up for Eric's scrawny shoulders. Maybe no one will notice."

He stood up, making sure his eyes avoided her. "So you thought of me." He walked to the stereo. Second choice again, to the guy she could never get out of her system. Why was he even the least bit surprised? He picked up an album and looked at it but saw nothing. Didn't know what album it was, didn't care.

Why had he had to start thinking about her again? That damn night...the last things Red said to him...the way she'd been there...

Ironically enough, the next day, she and Fez announced their engagement, exactly three weeks after they started dating. Five months later, the wedding was just about here.

Fast, those two.

"What about Forman?" he asked, his throat sore.

"Steven, Eric hates me." She sounded closer, right behind him. He could feel her eyes on his back. "You cared about me at one point."

He turned, and she smiled sadly, her gaze lowering to his chest.

"At least I think you did."

Her expression was odd; controlled but whispering something he couldn't quite make out. He figured it was just...no, he didn't figure it was anything. He had no idea. He couldn't read her anymore. Chicago and Sam had killed the connection, whatever the hell it had been.

She stepped forward and took his hands. His spine felt cold, then hot.

"Please, Steven. It would mean a lot."

He was too tired to fight it. He'd been too tired since Chicago, since before Chicago. Besides, there wasn't anything to fight. He straightened up, pushed his shoulders back. "You really want me to do this?"

He could do it. He could see her in a wedding dress, her eyes sparkling and cheeks flushed for Fez. Her voice shaking with nerves and excitement for Fez. Her hands, tiny and soft, damp and trembling for Fez.

Damn it, of course he could. What the hell did he care if she married Fez?

She smiled but it appeared strained. So did her voice. "I do, Steven."

For half a second, his heart stopped and he wondered if hers had too. It was as if she'd just promised herself to him, the way she once wanted to and would have, had he not done something stupid.

For half a second, he wanted to kiss her like nothing would come after. He wanted to tell her not to marry Fez. He wanted her and everything that came with her.

For half a second.

Hyde dropped her hands and backed up. He took a few shallow breaths, then shrugged. "Sure. Whatever."

She smiled, but only halfway. "Thank you, Steven."

When she closed her eyes and held the lids down for longer than a few seconds, he wondered if she really wanted him to do this.

And then the Jackie magic was back. Her smile widened, her eyes did as well. "I'll just go." Her voice was bright. "Thanks again, Steven. It's going to be a perfect wedding."

He nodded. "Of course." The grin he gave didn't feel great. "See ya later, then."

He turned and headed to the stairs. As he made his way up, he saw her still there by the door, watching him.

Ironic, really, that he'd agreed to give her away. He'd already done it once. Given her away in exchange for a slut. Another time wouldn't be so hard. At least this time he was giving her away not to nothing, but to someone else.

Yeah. That kind of made it worse.

At the top of the stairs, he stopped, held the doorknob and took a deep, slow breath. Giving her away, to Fez. Yet another reminder that it was all his fault. Because if he hadn't picked Sam, she'd never have turned to Fez.

She'd told him that the night Red died.

And ever since then, it had all been reminders. This was just another one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

**Warning: **Language

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much for the reviews! I really love them, and I really appreciate them! I hope you continue to enjuoy the story...and don't worry, all will be explained at some point. :)

**The Perfect Wedding **

_**Chapter 2 – Wrong **_

Jackie Burkhart stood at the Forman kitchen counter and watched Mrs. Forman scurry around the kitchen as if her life depended on it. She smiled and looked down for a moment. Mrs. Forman. When she'd offered to do all the cooking for the wedding, Jackie couldn't say no, even though the food wouldn't be quite the gourmet feast she'd always imagined.

Gourmet didn't matter much anymore. Mr. Forman's death had changed everything for everyone, and no one more than Mrs. Forman.

"Have you tasted anything? What do you like best?" Mrs. Forman stood across from Jackie, her hands clenched to her chest and an anxious look on her face.

Jackie lifted a shoulder. "Mrs. Forman, I can't possibly eat all of this." The counter was full of food. Plates of appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, took up nearly every inch of it. It all looked and smelled amazing; the colors bright and the scents enough to induce anyone to gorge themselves. She gave a shrill, forced giggle. "If I do that, I'll never fit into my wedding dress."

Ah yes, the dress. The one she'd made her daddy pay for back when she thought it was Steven she'd be marrying. She clenched her fists. She was having alterations made. Definitely. If not, it wouldn't be good. It would be wrong to marry Fez in the dress the way it was.

Mrs. Forman affectionately swatted her other hand. "Don't be silly, Jackie, a tiny thing like you? Just have a bite or two of each dish. Those are the best ones, anyway!"

Jackie nodded and picked up a shrimp roll. As she tasted it, delicious of course, she continued to watch her stand in mother. She seemed smaller now, and the heaviness under her eyes just wouldn't go away despite the cream Jackie had given her. "Mrs. Forman," she said quietly, her stomach billowing with either nerves or hope. "Look, I just wanna say that if you think this is too soon...I mean, I don't want to be disrespectful."

She closed her eyes. Too soon. Was it? They'd gotten engaged almost immediately after Red died.

Was it wrong? They'd only dated three weeks before...

But Red's death changed everything. That _night_ changed everything.

Mrs. Forman looked at her, and Jackie wondered if she could read minds. If she could, Jackie wished she'd tell her what her doubts and thoughts and crazy ideas that were all mixed up meant.

"Oh, sweetie, no," Mrs. Forman cooed, walking around the counter. She took Jackie's hands and smiled with false brightness. "This wedding is a wonderful thing, and I'm so touched that you want me to be a part of it. It really helps. It keeps me busy, and when I'm in the kitchen I feel like I'm close to..." Her voice broke. "When I'm here, it's like he's here..." Her lower lip trembled and Jackie shook her head, sensing the downpour. Mrs. Forman did as well, probably to ward off the tears.

It didn't work.

Her smile became tight, her eyes shiny and wet. She dropped Jackie's hands. "Excuse me, sweetie." She left in a rush, and Jackie heard the escaping sob just as the kitchen door closed.

Jackie closed her eyes. Great. She'd done what they'd all be trying desperately not to do. Her own eyes welled up. Making Mrs. Forman cry was not a thing she could live with. Not anymore. She was a surrogate mother. No. She wasn't even almost a mother. Pam was almost a mother. Mrs. Forman, in every way, acted like her mother, blood be damned. She bowed her head. _Good going, bitch! _

"Geeze, Jackie, hungry?"

There was Steven in the doorway, sans sunglasses and smirking at her. She couldn't help smirking right back. Never could, actually. "Mrs. Forman went a little crazy, She says I can't make a good decision about my wedding dinner if I don't taste everything she knows how to cook."

His grin faltered. Jackie's heart thumped for no good reason. His reaction had nothing to do with her mentioning the wedding. It was Mrs. Forman. She knew how worried about her he was. He'd told her. And she could see it. She cleared her throat. "Wanna help me taste test?" She cocked her head and gave him a half smile.

Until she realized that it might look flirtatious, and then she straightened her neck, pressed down the up-curved lips.

He shook his head. "Can't. Gotta go help Forman out with some crap at his house."

She nodded. "Right. Someone's gotta pick up the tools and use them." They both chuckled, and she took a step forward. "You know, it's really nice of you to help Eric out. Since Mr. For...I mean, it's just nice." She'd noticed. He'd been there for Eric, in his own way of course, and denying it all the while. But she'd noticed. Used to be she noticed everything about him, and bad habits were the hardest for her to break.

Steven snorted but stepped towards her. "It is not."

She nodded, the corners of her mouth helplessly floating upwards. "Yes it is." Another dozen feet forward.

And another step from him. "Is not."

They were only three or four feet apart now, and still, she took another step. Bigger. "Is too."

He grinned and she saw his eyes. They always seemed to glow and lighten when he was having fun or amused. _Or turned on. God, no! That's just wrong! _Now they were lighter. She hadn't amused him in so long, and it made her feel bold. She stepped again. Her skin suddenly felt hot and like tiny butterflies were beating their silken wings just underneath it. And her heart – well, she couldn't feel it. Then it was back. Gone. Back, and now she wondered if it was going to break through her body and escape.

"Is not."

He was closer, and she could sense the feel of his skin, and she couldn't breathe very well. It all seemed lodged beneath her breasts. And god, why did they ache?

"Is too and shut up," she managed. Was her voice hoarse?

She couldn't stop the next step. She smelled his cologne and shampoo. Toothpaste, too?

They were only two feet apart. And he was wearing that too tight Ted Nugent tee shirt. He smelled so good. He hadn't shaved that morning, and she remembered all too well how his stubble felt on her stomach...her breasts.

Heat washed all over her.

"Am I ruining it, Jackie?"

She looked at his face. His smile was gone, and it almost looked...he almost seemed...

Then she saw it in his throat. The adam's apple moving just a tiny bit. And then his mouth opened just a tad. His eyelids dropped just a smidge.

The room began to spin. Get out. Get out. GET OUT!

It was so wrong.

She ached _there_, and all over. But it was wrong. WRONG.

Jackie closed her eyes and stepped backwards, bumping into the edge of the counter and wincing, but ignoring the sharp pain in her hip. Jerk. He was a jerk. He'd done that on purpose just to see if he could. She coughed and pointed at him. "You're wearing a tux at my wedding, Steven, so get used to it."

She stared at the food but saw him. He stood there as if unable or unwilling to move, and she tried to think of something else to say.

"Whatever," he said. He sounded nothing. Zen. Calm. Cool. Of course. He moved out of her peripheral vision and towards the door. "Better not eat too much. Don't wanna get fat before you marry a candy loving pervert."

And despite his nasty words, she panicked. "Steven," she said, turning around. He stopped and looked at her, making sure she heard him sigh. "You're not gonna do anything to ruin my wedding, are you?"

Why she asked, she knew she'd never figure out. What answer she wanted, she knew, but it was so damn wrong and she had to get rid of it. She'd have to take a night long bath in bleach to cleanse the wrongness out of her.

Still the Zen. His eyes were cold now. Darker. Open wider. "Why would I ruin your wedding, Jackie?"

He said it as if there was no possible reason, and her heart sank despite her screaming inner Jackie. He was completely over her. If he'd ever really loved her, he didn't any longer. And now, with a definite chill in his eyes and voice, she doubted he ever had. She shook her hair over her shoulder and grimaced. Steeled herself by tightening her stomach and arching her back the way she'd done so often when Sam had been around. "No reason." Shet turned back to the food. "Have fun being Eric's yes boy today."

His answer was the opening and closing of the door.

"So, we've got the flowers taken care of, the music, the food, church, reception hall, the wedding party," Jackie said, making checkmarks next to the completed items on her list. Only a few small things were yet to be done, and they could wait a little while. She glanced at Fez, who sat next to her on their couch looking intently at the notebook in her lap. "Anything we're forgetting? You do have all the decorations for the church and the ballroom, don't you?"

Fez nodded, his eyes still skimming the notebook. "Of course, my pet. Twinkle lights for the reception, ribbons and candles for the ceremony."

She narrowed her brow. "And roses. You asked for peach, pink and white ones, didn't you? Because if there are any red roses besides in my bouquet, I'm gonna be upset."

He smiled appeasingly and patted her hand. "I know, snookums. Don't worry. You'll be the only one to bear the flower of love."

She sighed and relaxed a bit.

Both looked at the notebook, saying nothing until the silence became unbearable.

Fez cleared his throat. "So, uh, looks like we've got it all under control. Everything is ready. We're...ready?"

Jackie nodded. Her throat felt a bit thick, and like she needed to cough but couldn't. The list, her own handwriting, looked foreign to her. Like some other soul had written it and placed importance on it. And she felt detached, not a real part of herself.

They sat there, both quiet. Lately this happened frequently. On the couch watching t.v. At the table eating. In bed trying to sleep. In the car driving to the mall. When the wedding wasn't the topic of conversation, or clothes or shopping, or the horrible people Fez had to deal with at the salon and the amazing people Jackie met at work, or Kelso, or how fabulous she was looking, there didn't seem to be much to say.

It was so wrong. Wasn't it? Shouldn't they be able to talk for hours upon hours about anything, including uncomfortable stuff, deeper stuff than hair and shoes and gossip?

Jackie shook her head. Stupid head full of stupid thoughts. It was just the excitement and the stress of planning a wedding in six months. After they were married, they'd go back to normal.

Although normal, she remembered, wasn't much different. Had they ever talked about Mr. Forman's death? Had he ever asked her why she'd not come home that night? Had he even noticed?

"So..." Fez tried, but his sentence petered out. She noticed him smile oddly before looking down at his hands.

She turned to him and gasped. Her DRESS! How had she forgotten this? "OH! Fez, you have to help me decide how to alter my dress." She grinned and bounced up and down. Yes! This was perfect for them to do together! "I'd ask Donna, but she has such horrible taste. She'd probably want to stick a layer of lumberjack flannel on it." She rolled her eyes. "And since you're so good with clothes and I'm not quite sure what exactly I want, you have to help me."

Fez gasped too and jumped off the couch, looking gleeful. "Oh! I have been hoping you would ask me. I have sketches!" He started towards his bedroom but stopped cold after only a few steps. He turned back, his smile of joy gone. "But...my peach, isn't it bad luck for me to see the dress before the wedding day?" He frowned. "Or is it bad luck for me to sleep with the dress before the wedding?"

Jackie's eyes widened. "Why would it be bad luck? Oh..." Right. That old superstition, and the entire reason Donna's first wedding dress was ruined by that idiot Eric. And Fez was the groom. She'd forgotten all about it.

And him?

She closed her eyes. Tears threatened. What in the hell was _wrong_ with her?

"So I guess I cannot help you, Princess."

She opened her eyes and Fez looked so sad. She knew it wasn't because of her slip. It was because he couldn't help her with her dress.

Wasn't that screwed up? Sort of...wrong? And not wrong in a good way?

She stood, determined to ignore pesky thoughts and irritated insides. She smiled as widely as she could without looking ugly. "It doesn't matter, Fez. I mean, we're meant to be. Remember? You're my perfect man. Bad luck can't touch us." She nodded and pressed her lips together. "You're the best one to help me with my dress, so you're gonna do it!"

"But angel dove..."

She flounced to him and grabbed his hand. "Come on!"

He'd do it. She'd make him. And he'd let her.

Now, if only he'd call her Jackie once in awhile and not one of his sappy pet names. It wasn't as endearing as she'd anticipated when they'd started dating.

They stood together in front of Jackie's full length mirror. She wore her gown, and Fez circled around her, pinching material here and there, studying the gown and wondering to himself if what he'd sketched could actually be done. She put on her veil and he fussed with it, suggested she instead go with a crown of flowers, white roses, and subtract the over the face style.

He was genius, she decided as he took notes. Reforming the bodice, adding more meading, making it off the shoulder and a slightly lower neckline, a tighter waist, would make such a difference. It wouldn't in any way but color resemble the dress she'd worn while imagining her wedding to Steven.

And that was of utmost importance.

Finally, Fez stood next to her and they gazed at one another in the mirror. He smiled, and she returned it.

"You look so beautiful. Whoever marries you is a lucky son of a bitch." He made an angry face. "I hate him already."

She turned her head to him, and he stared back, his mouth forming an "O".

More silence.

His face reddened, he closed his eyes, then shook his head. "I just..." His voice, still heavily accented even though she prayed every night it would become normal, was higher than usual. "I just sometimes forget."

Jackie, her heart large and heavy and beating fast, wanted to scream at him, to slap him for daring to forget that he was engaged to her. HER! How could he just forget?

But she'd forgotten, too, just an hour ago, and it hadn't been the first time. If not for the tiny ring she wore on her left hand, she might forget all the time.

_No I wouldn't! _

She smashed down her pride and tried to grin. "Its okay, Fez. I understand."

"Its just that I never really thought that you would accept me as your lover, and now that you have...or almost have...it is a lot to take. Please forgive me, sweet pea. It will never happen again. I swear on my mother's grave. Well, on her hut, anyway."

She nodded. "I know, and its okay, Fez. It really is."

What was her last name going to be? He'd told her, written it down for her, but she couldn't remember it.

Where was he from? That he hadn't told her. Or if he had, she couldn't recall.

Did he have parents? Were they like hers? Had he really grown up without toilet paper and Christmas? Isn't that what he'd said that one day?

Jackie stepped backwards away from him. "It's late," she said, not knowing or caring if it really was. "I'm going to take this off. We'll go to the seamstress tomorrow, okay?"

He moved towards her and put his hands on her shoulders. And of course, gave her his "sexy" grin. "We should make out," he sasid. "And do it. Definitely do it." His expression became that of a kid not getting his own way. "We have to do it before the wedding, Jacqueline, just to see if we...fit."

She was surprised he didn't stamp his foot on the floor.

"Fez," she said, backing away from him. "I told you. I wanna wait till the wedding night. It'll be so special that way. Way more special than my two other first times."

_Do not think about your first time with Steven! God! It wasn't that special. So what if he'd actually...no! This is wrong! _

Fez frowned. And this time, he did stamp his foot. "But I don't care about that!"

She did her best to keep her voice even. "I do, okay? Now. I'll see you in the morning." She leaned forward and brushed her lips over his.

"Fine." He pouted. "But you will wish you had listened to me on our wedding night." He raised his eyebrows. "You will need time to adjust, if you know what I mean."

He left, and she rolled her eyes. Right. They hadn't had sex yet, but they'd fooled around and she'd felt it.

It wasn't big. Especially compared to Steven. And she doubted Fez had the talent to use it that Steven had, either.

"No," she muttered, sinking down onto her bed. Thinking of Steven in any way was wrong, and especially _that_ way.

Twenty minutes later, she was in sweats and in her car, driving somewhere she hadn't figured out yet. It didn't matter. The dark and the empty roads mattered.

She shook her head as she turned down the Forman's street. She wasn't going to stop. No. She just wanted to see.

_If Steven's home? _

No. Wrong thought. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The word kept repeating itself in her head, sneaking in without her permission or warning or context. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. And as much as she told her inner Jackie to shut up, she didn't listen. Wrong.

Sometimes it sounded like Steven's voice. But he'd never tell her she was wrong about this.

Would he?

Was that why she'd asked him to give her away? Was that why Fez hadn't protested when she'd told him she was going to? Did he really want to marry her? Did she really want to marry him?

Did Steven give a damn at all?

She rubbed her temple then turned up the radio, even though she detested the stupid song playing.

Everything was wrong. And what was most wrong about all of it was that she was driving alone at night past her ex-boyfriend's house after putting the finishing touches on the plans for her wedding day. And just to see if said ex-boyfriend was home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **I don't own.

**Author's Note:** Thanks SO much for all the reviews! You guys rock. :) Now, I have to give credit for one of Eric's lines, the one about Hyde walking Jackie down the aisle the wrong way. That was inspired by a review that cookie207 left me, so, a big thanks! At this point, I think this story might wind up being closer to 10 chapters, but we'll see. I keep thinking of things that need to go in. No more than 10, though! Happy reading, and thank you so much!

**Warning:** Language. Quite a bit.

**The Perfect Wedding **

_**Chapter 3 – What the hell is wrong with me? **_

The next day Hyde was still thinking of the scene in the Forman kitchen. Every nuance of her movements, her voice, still occupied his nearly every thought. He'd been up all night drinking a few beers and thinking of his damn ex-girlfriend. And so as he pounded a nail in one of the rails for Forman's to-be kid's crib, his eyes blurred with exhaustion. He missed the nail, so he tried again, but his fingers loosened. The hammer went flying. It landed near Forman's leg, and Hyde shook his head.

Damn Jackie. Why in the hell did she have to do crap like that? Why in the hell did she have to be so sexy?

Forman frowned. "Hey, man, that could have been my head."

Hyde stood up and stretched. "Oh, yeah? Are you lying on the floor? No, you aren't. So don't start bitching." He walked over to the window and looked out. Not much to see. The house was in a new neighborhood. The trees were short and thin.

Like Jackie.

"Damn it," he muttered. Best thing to ever happen to him? Jackie? _Right, Red. _

He couldn't distract himself. All his thoughts were of Jackie and Red's words.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Hyde?"

Hyde turned and Forman stood next to the crib, giving him an annoyed by not very angry look. He shrugged. "Nothing, man," he said, going Zen. He plastered on a grin. "Had a couple chicks last night, so you know..."

Forman didn't believe him, obviously, because he just smirked.

"Hey, you never did tell me what Jackie wants you to do in her wedding."

Hyde watched Forman turn back to the crib and took slow steps back to his own spot. He picked up the hammer on his way. "Oh, nothing much," he said. "She just asked me to give her away."

The clatter on the floor this time was Forman's hammer.

"You're kidding me."

Hyde shrugged and turned his attention back to the crib. "Nope." Forman was staring at him, he felt it but ignored it. Hell, this wasn't a big deal. At. All.

"Won't that be kind of weird?"

Hyde hammered a few more times and the nail went in. "Why would it be weird?"

He heard Forman snort, so he shot him a glare. "Look, man, its no big deal. I just have to walk her up there, then I get to sit down. She even said I could sneak in a beer, so looks like I've got a better deal than you and Kelso."

Forman stared at him and Hyde looked away.

Yep. A much better deal. He'd be drowning a beer while watching his ex-girlfriend marry a foreign pervert who'd probably wind up pleading guilty to a hundred counts of being a peeping tom.

Better make the beer a flask of whiskey.

The door opened and Donna, heavily pregnant with still two months to go, waddled in. Hyde covered his mouth to hide the grin. She was scary, but damn funny.

"You," she said harshly, pointing at him.

He blinked. "Man, whatever you think I've done, I bet it was your husband."

She shook her head. "No. Jackie just told me she asked you to give her away." She moved a little closer and continued to point at him. "I just want you to know that if you do anything to screw up Jackie's wedding, I will kill you. Or maybe just cut up and mutilate parts of your body that you find so much fun to have. Got it?"

Hyde nodded, shooting Forman a hard look when he laughed nervously. "Sure, Donna."

Right. Like that would happen. Like he'd really do anything to screw up Jackie's perfect wedding. What would he do? Scream out "I DO" when the paster asked if anyone objected? Hoist her over her shoulder and carry her out of the church with everyone gasping and come crying? Storm the alter, punch Fez unconscious, then kiss her until she couldn't stay on her impossibly high heels?

The idea had never crossed his mind.

"God, I am so hungry, and I want brownies, but we don't have any! I'm so FREAKING HUNGRY!" Donna burst into tears and turned, leaving the room as quickly as she'd come in. Her sobs followed her.

Hyde looked at Forman.

Forman shrugged. "Hormones. I just let her be. She likes it that way." Then Forman raised an eyebrow. "So, are you going to screw up Jackie's wedding?"

Hyde stood up, still holding the hammer, and began to pace. "You're the third idiot to ask me that. Why does everyone think I'm gonna do something?" He stopped and stared at Forman. "You should be worried about Kelso, not me. He's the one who wanted to marry her." He swallowed and looked away. "I didn't."

"Ooooookay, Hyde."

Hyde couldn't bring himself to glare at Forman. Instead, he stared at the floor.

"Well, we need a break. I'm gonna go check the car."

Hyde looked up and grinned. "Why? You know nothing about cars."

Forman grinned, too. "Yeah, well, it'll cheer Donna up. She likes it when I do things a man should do. Plus, there's nothing really wrong with the car." His smile faded and he looked off. "Except that pinging noise."

Hyde sighed and set the hammer on the ground. "I better go with you."

Forman nodded. "Definitely."

Hyde's day didn't get any better, and his night was sent from hell. Jackie wanted to go dancing, and she'd talked Donna into wanting to go, too. Everyone, especially Forman, was afraid to say no to Donna, so that night, Hyde wound up with the rest of them at the freaking disco. Only the joint he'd smoked before they left kept it halfway tolerable.

They sat around a table with drinks, the ones who'd wasted time dancing to crappy music taking a break, and Hyde using the opportunity to drink more booze. He was hoping his vision would get bad soon. Jackie looked incredibly hot in a tight little red dress, and he was tired of looking at her. Too bad he couldn't stop.

"Hyde, you should dance with Jackie. To practice."

Hyde glared across the table at Fez and was puzzled. Fez seemed almost...pleading. And that was bizarre. Why would Fez want him, of all people, to dance with Jackie? He glanced at her, but she was whispering some girly gossip into Donna's ear. "To practice what with Jackie?"

She must have heard him, because she looked at him, then Fez.

Fez smiled nervously. "Well, you are giving Jackie away to me at the wedding, right? You're pretending to be her father." He looked at Jackie. "I read that it is tradition for the bride and her father to have a special dance."

She nodded. "It is."

Her eyes slipped to Hyde's, and he frowned. No. Dancing with Jackie at her wedding reception was not something he would do. Not that it would bother him or anything. It was just a stupid idea. A horrible idea. And why in the hell had Fez come up with it? Had the situations been reversed, he never, ever would have... "Okay, first of all," he said, his stomach clenching because of Jackie's damned eyes on him. "I am not pretending to be her father. Second of all..." He took a drink, and the liquid helped. "I don't dance."

Someone said something, then someone else said something else, and Hyde ignored it all. He stared at his almost empty glass. He definitely needed more.

"This wedding is going to be awesome," Kelso said, loud enough to break through Hyde's self-inposed distance. He looked up and watched Kelso point and grin at Jackie. "I've got a surprise for you."

Jackie squealed and tried to get it out of Kelso. The others started talking about it, then the food, the music, the ceremony, the vows. How fun it was going to be. How romantic it was going to be.

Hyde stood up, his chair making a loud, long squeak as he did so. His vision was finally getting blurry, and now he wished his hearing would disintegrate. "God, will you all just shut up? Can we talk about anything else but this fucking wedding, or is that too much to ask?"

The others went quiet, and he closed his eyes.

_Damn it. _

"Hyde," Donna said gently. He opened his eyes ad she was giving him a cold, strained smile. "Do you remember what I said to you earlier?"

He felt hot and cold, and completely wrung out. He wanted to slam his glass down, but had no energy, so he dropped it. The glass shattering at his feet was nice. Nice sound. Familiar. "Whatever. I'm going to get some air."

A few minutes later, he stood outside, leaning against the cool brick of the building. He took a long drag off his second cigarette and the nicotine burned. A good burn, he told himself. Better than the one he'd felt in that stupid place with all the wedding talk. He closed his eyes and savored the peace.

What in the hell was wrong with him?

"Steven?"

Jackie.

He opened his eyes and there she was. She was coming closer, she looked calm. Subdued, and that wasn't a very Jackie-like thing. He looked away and took another smoke.

"Why won't you dance with me?"

He chuckled inside. Typical. Of all that had just happened, she was wondering about that. She stopped next to him and just like him, leaned against the building. Just like him, she stared out in front of him. He shook his head. "I told you. I don't dance."

"You did when we were dating," she said, her voice low and throaty.

He shrugged and watched a car on the street they were facing. Black and big. Reminded him a little of Jackie's dad's Lincoln. "It was different then."

She said nothing, and he sighed. Truer words were never spoken. And funny, he knew she was thinking that same thing. Suddenly it was as if he could still read her, even when she wasn't talking, even when he wasn't looking at her. It gripped him, tightened his insides until he could hardly breathe. He'd thought it was dead, but now, just standing next to her, not even looking...

Had she moved closer? He turned his head to the left slightly, and she had. He could sense it, her hand there just a few inches from his. And now his heart decided to go wild.

He took another drag. Then another.

"Have you had anymore nightmares?"

He smiled bitterly. Just his luck. She could pick and choose what she forgot, what she remembered. He'd hoped she'd forget this, but of course not. That night they'd fallen asleep on the basement couch, and he'd woken with a start. Being disoriented, when she'd asked him what was wrong, he'd told her. And now she'd always remember, apparently. "No."

Now she was looking at him, and he could tell she was smiling that "I know better, Steven" smile of hers.

"I don't believe you."

He looked at her and gave her as much of a grin he could. "You never do."

She laughed, but then fell silent and pensive again. She looked away, and he looked down.

He cleared his throat. "So. Do you actually want me to pretend to be your father?"

Another giggle. "Not really. I'm not sure what Fez is thinking saying that stuff. I mean, if you were my father, we had a really sick relationship."

He nodded. "Yeah. But on the other hand, if I was your father, I could kick Fez's ass for nailing you." Now his smile was real. "And that would be cool."

What in the hell was wrong with him? Why had he just said that? So, he'd thought it a few times after the big engagement announcement. So what? Fez was annoying. Everyone wanted to kick Fez's ass at some point. It didn't mean a thing, and she'd better not be thinking it did.

He took another smoke. A long one.

"Is that...I mean, Steven, do you want to?"

"Are you still having headaches?"

His voice was much louder than necessary.

She was quiet for almost a minute, and when she did speak, she sounded small. "Uh, yeah." And then she gave a tinny laugh, the one that meant she wasn't really happy. "I'm gonna have one tonight, I know it. I forgot how smoky this place is."

He looked at his cigarette, then her, then tossed the cigarette away. Why, he wasn't sure. Didn't want to think about it.

"You didn't have to do that, Steven."

He lifted a shoulder, didn't look at her. It was getting chilly, the wind was starting to pick up, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Why wouldn't she go away? Why did she stand here with him when her fiance was inside waiting for her?

Suddenly she was in front of him, and he couldn't look away, not when here eyes were so bright even in the dimness, and her face, even in the shadows, was flushed.

"Steven, do you ever think about us? I mean, do you really want to kick Fez's ass?" Then she shook her head, lowered it. "No. Don't answer that." She chuckled. "I don't think I want to know."

Why he did it, he knew he'd never know, but the wind was blowing and a strand of her hair hovered over her mouth and nose. And for some godforsaken reason, he reached out to brush it back. Instead, his fingers, then his palm, touched her cheek.

She didn't move, neither did he. He didn't even want to.

He could breathe again. And feel. And she was there, right there. The nightmares of Red dying in front of him didn't matter. Fez and the wedding didn't matter. Nothing did, except she was right there. Like she used to be. Like she would be, if he hadn't...

_"I'd never be with Fez if you had picked me, Steven. If you'd told Sam to leave, I would have forgiven you. I loved you that much." _

She'd told him that while drunk, but later admitted it was true. He wondered if it was still true, and he stepped towards her.

His heart was crazy in his chest, up and down, back and forth, doing flip after flip.

But she backed away, her eyes wide as if she'd been burned by something both hot and cold at the same time. "I..." She coughed. "I need to go back inside. Fez...I mean, he's in there. Waiting. For..."

He thought she was going to come back. In fact, she took two steps back to him, but then shook her head and gave a little sob. And turned. And rushed off.

"Sometimes," he called after her. A half-truth.

Again, what in the hell was wrong with him? Why did he tell her that? Why?

She stopped for a few seconds, but didn't turn. He saw her head bow, her shoulders shake, but then before he could think of anything else to say, she was gone.

Hyde nodded and looked down at the ground. It didn't matter, just like he figured it wouldn't. It was far too late for apologies or regrets to matter.

Back in the disco, Hyde sat at the bar, nursing another whiskey. He was getting addicted to it. Warm burning down his throat and into his chest was good.

"Hey man, we've been wondering where you were."

Hyde shrugged as Forman sat down next to him. "I've been here. Wasn't the bar the first place you looked?"

Forman grinned. "We didn't look very hard."

Hyde returned his attention to his just refreshed drink. "Jackie dancing?"

"Yep. Right over there in case you wanna see."

Hyde watched the ice float in the whiskey. But then, of course, he turned on his stool and followed Forman's gaze. There she was, with Fez, dancing and smiling like it was exactly where she was meant to be.

Probably was.

"Look, man."

Hyde grimaced. He felt Forman's stare, and he knew what was coming.

"Are you sure you're gonna be able to walk Jackie down the aisle the wrong way?"

Hyde stared at Jackie. She looked so hot, so damn fine. So beautiful. But she wasn't his anymore, and it was best this way. He knew it, and she did too. All these stupid thoughts about her were just...he wasn't getting drunk enough, or laid enough. From now on, he would do both enough that her name wouldn't mean anything to him anymore.

He stood up and looked at Forman. "I've got to, man." He took a deep breath. "Look, I know I've treated Jackie like crap since we broke up. Right before Red died, be told me to stop being a dumbass about Jackie." He shrugged. "So I'm gonna."

Sounded good. Not the whole truth. So what? Close enough.

Forman shook his head, frowning. "For some reason, I don't think that's what he meant, Hyde. Don't you remember the time we..."

"Of course it is. What else would he mean?" Hyde tried to smirk. He looked at Jackie again.

This time she saw him, she smiled and flipped her hair, and his knees went weak. He sat back down and whirled the stool around to the bar. "Jesus," he muttered. "What in the hell is wrong with me?"

He spoke too loud.

Forman sat down and gave a heavy sigh. "I know what's wrong with you. I'd tell you, but you already know."

"She's happy. She's got a ring."

"Yeah. A real tiny one that she doesn't exactly show off. In fact, didn't she say that it was only a practice ring?"

"Fez calls her pet names."

"Donna told me she hates them. All twenty-nine and a half of the. And didn't you have a pet name for her? One she loved?"

"Fez talks about shopping and Donny Osmond with her."

"Donna told me that Jackie says they hardly talk at all sometimes."

Hyde looked up, anger and frustration boiling over and leaving him hot, sweaty and desperate to get out of this hell hole. "I'm gonna say this once, Forman," he said, pointing at the interfering jerk and standing up. "I'm not in love with her, okay? I just..." He looked around. Hot women. Yeah. He'd go pick up some slut. Blonde and tall and busty. Nothing like Jackie. "I just need to get laid. And that's what I'm gonna go do."

As he walked away, he knew Forman was shaking his head and pitying him.

He also knew that Red was rolling over in his grave and calling him a dumbass.

And that Jackie was a hell of a lot better with Fez than with him.

That was why he wanted to kick Fez's ass from here to China.


End file.
